


School Nemeses 1

by magog_83



Series: School Nemeses [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-04
Updated: 2011-04-04
Packaged: 2017-10-17 14:35:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/177888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magog_83/pseuds/magog_83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur are archenemies.  Optimistic young teacher Miss Slater thinks she can do something about that. Modern school!au</p>
            </blockquote>





	School Nemeses 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a WIP. I have about 11-12 parts of it so far but I'm only posting the first few parts for now, and then hopefully I will get back to it over Christmas when my thesis is finally done. It's kind of like my Percy fics, in that each little section is a self contained part of a bigger story and there aren't any cliffhangers, but I wanted to mention the WIPness at the outset because I know people prefer to avoid them!
> 
> Beta'd by Vensre.

“What on earth have they done this time? It’s only the third week of term!”

Miss Slater looked away from the window to see her fellow English teacher, Julia, drop down into the armchair next to hers. “I caught them fighting in the corridor this morning before Tutor,” she replied, pausing just long enough to push the biscuit tin along the coffee table as Julia set down her mug of tea, “It appeared _someone_ had soldered Merlin’s locker shut.”

Julia selected a chocolate biscuit and sighed. “Oh dear. Again?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Where on earth did he get the soldering iron?”

Miss Slater blew out a long breath. “No idea, but I think Mr Grayson is going to find out.” They glanced, as one, across the staffroom to where Mr Grayson, the head of Design and Technology, was barking questions at someone down the phone.

“At least Arthur kept his eyebrows this time,” Julia said at last, looking back through the window at the two figures in the school courtyard, black bin liners in hand. “I take it it’s litter duty for the whole week then?”

It took a moment for Miss Slater to reply as she noticed that Merlin – who had, admittedly, filled his bag very quickly – seemed to have abandoned litter picking to follow Arthur about, pointing out the bits he had missed. She wondered how long that was going to last. “Er…Actually, I’ve had a different idea.”

“Separate schools?” Julia suggested, only half joking.

Miss Slater laughed, “Not quite. I’m going to volunteer them to help me with the old library.”

Julia stared at her in something akin to horror. “You can’t be serious?” No-one had touched the old library in at least forty years and, ever since she had volunteered to clear it out, Miss Slater had been looking for people to help. Unsurprisingly this had proved somewhat difficult, although Miss Slater had a feeling that wasn’t what was concerning Julia. “They’ll kill each other!”

“Oh, I think I can persuade them to—” Miss Slater broke off as Arthur finally had enough of Merlin’s helpful suggestions and kicked his very full litter bag over, causing Merlin to steal Arthur’s litter-picker and throw it over the hedge. “Would you excuse me a moment.” Leaning forward she rapped sharply on the glass to get their attention. As soon as he saw her looking, Merlin pointed an accusing finger at Arthur, who looked outraged and immediately began to protest. Fortunately for her sanity, Miss Slater couldn’t hear either of them through the double glazing, so she settled for glaring very sternly indeed and shaking her head until Arthur grudgingly pulled Merlin’s bag upright again and Merlin stomped off to retrieve the litter picker – presenting it to Arthur with the air of one who would as soon use it to jab him in the eye.

Miss Slater settled back and took another sip of tea. “Well, I didn’t say it was a completely risk-free plan.”

Julia raised her eyebrows. “It’s your funeral I suppose.” In the distance the first bell rang, marking the end of morning break. She got to her feet, finishing the last of her tea. “Personally I wouldn’t want to stick those two in a room together alone for any length of time.”

Miss Slater smiled to herself, just slightly, and declined to comment.

“And anyway,” Julia continued, “Isn’t litter duty enough of a punishment for poor Merlin? It isn’t as if it was even his fault this time.” Julia was known to be rather fond of Merlin. In fact, Miss Slater thought, amused, many of the teachers were – a fact that never failed to annoy Arthur.

“True, but I suspect the blazer might have something to do with him.”

“The…?” Julia looked confused. Then she followed Miss Slater’s gaze to where Merlin and Arthur were making their way back across the yard to the school door, just in time to see Arthur finish donning his navy blazer with all the confidence of someone who couldn’t see the word PRAT tippexed in four-inch high letters across the back. “Ah,” said Julia. “I see what you mean.” There was a pause. “So when do you break the happy news to them?”

“I thought first thing after lunch,” Miss Slater said cheerfully, reaching for the biscuit tin. “I’ve got them for double English this afternoon and I figure if they’re frozen with horror, they’ll be far less likely to flick things at each other across the classroom.”

Julia gave her a very dubious look. “If you say so. I just hope it’s worth it.”

Miss Slater rooted around in the tin until she found a custard cream. She had a bit of marking to catch up on in her free period, but that was no reason not to have another cup of tea first. “Oh I’m sure it will be,” she replied. “I can work miracles when I put my mind to it, you know.”

“That library will need it,” was Julia’s parting shot as she hurried off to class. Miss Slater just made a vague noise of agreement and pulled her stack of essays towards her.

Yes, it really was about time something was done, she thought.

Not to mention, it might be quite nice to get the library sorted out too.

The End.


End file.
